US3104138A

US3104138A - Metal desk structure

Info

Publication number: US3104138A
Application number: US139292A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Renaud
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1961-09-19
Filing date: 1961-09-19
Publication date: 1963-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1980-09-17

Description

R. J. RENAUD 3,104,138

Sept. 17, 1963 METAL DESK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 19, 1961 IIVVENTOR ROBERT J. RE/VA U0 Afforne Sept. 17, 1963 R. J. RENAUD METAL DESK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1961 //V I/E/V 70/? ROBERT J. RE/VAUD By M 56 M A flarney United States Patent 3,104,138 METAL DESK STRUCTURE Robert .I. Renaud, haler Township, Allegheny (loamy,

Pa, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,292 3 (Ilaims. 81. 312-195) This invention relates to improved metal desk structures.

An object of the invention is to provide sturdy desk structure-s which are of pleasing appearance and yet flexible in their size and shape.

A further object is to provide improved desk structures which include a metal frame of variable dimension and interchangeable pedestal boxes removably suspended from said frame.

A further object is toprovide improved desk structures which embody steel frames and pedestal boxes suspended cantilever fashion from the frames, thus taking advantage of the strength of the frame to carry the weight of the pedestal boxes and minimizing the number of parts needed in the frame.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, preferred forms of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of frame used in my desk structures;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIGURE 1 with pedestal boxes attached;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form of frame; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIGURE 3 with pedestal boxes attached.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of my desk frame, which comprises a pair of opposed subassenrblies ill and Illa of C-shape in end elevation and front and

back spanners

12 and 13 connecting these subassemblies. Each subassembly includes an upright 14 preferably formed of a metal strip bent to V-shape in cross section, a leg member 15 preferably formed of two converging metal strips Welded at their back ends to the respective arms of the V, and an upper horizontal member 16 preferably for-med of metal tubing of rectangular cross section Welded at its back end between the arms of the V. Le-g members 15 carry glides 17 which rest on a floor or other supporting surface. The upper horizontal members 16 carry spaced apart front and back brackets 18 and 19 preferably welded thereto. The front spanner 12 is removably bolted to the two front brackets 18 and extends across the front ends of the horizontal members 16 with some overhang at each side. The back spanner I3 is removably bolted to the two back brackets 19 and extends between the horizontal members 13 spaced inwardly from their back ends. Preferably both spanners are formed of rectangular metal tubing similar to the horizontal members 16. I can replace the spanners' with spanners of different lengths, and thus use the same subassem blies It and a for desks of different lengths.

The front spanner 12 carries out hangers 20 adjacent its ends and inner hangers 21 spaced inwardly of the respective horizontal members 16. The latter members carry outer hangers 22 opposite their connection to the back spanner 13, while the back spanner carries inner hangers 23. As FIGURE 2 shows, I suspend pedestal boxes 24 and 24a from the hangers 20, 2.1, 22 and 23. I removably bolt each pedestal box to a respective set of four hangers so that I am able to use the same frame for suspending a variety of choices of pedestal boxes. The frame also removably supports a top 25 which overlies the frame and pedestal boxes in the usual way, and the back can carry a screen, not shown.

Patented Sept. 17, 1963 FIGURE 3 shows a modified form of my desk frame, which comprises a pair of opposed subassemblies 3t and 38 a and front and

back spanners

32 and 33 connecting these subassemblies. Each subassembly includes an upright 34 preferably formed of a metal strip bent to V- shape in cross section, a dual leg member 35, 35a, each half of which preferably is formed of two converging metal strips welded to the respective arms of the V and to each other, an upper horizontal member 36 welded at its mid portion to the upright and preferably formed of a. metal strip bent to V-shape in cross section. Leg members 35, 35a carry gliders 37 which rest on a floor or other supporting surface. The upper horizontal members 36 carry spaced apart front and

back brackets

33 and 39, preferably of channel shape and welded to the ends thereof. The front spanner 32 is removably bolted to the two front brackets 38 and extends across the front ends of the horizontal members 36 with some overhang at each side. The back spanner 33 is attached in similar fashion to the back brackets 39. Preferably both spanners are formed of metal tubing of rectangular cross section. As in the embodiment already described, I can use spanners of different lengths with the same subassemblies.

The front spanner 32 carries outer hangers 4ft adjacent its ends and inner hangers 41 immediately outwardly of the front brackets 38. The back spanner 33 carries outer and inner hangers d2 and 43 similarly arranged. As FIGURE 4 shows, I removably suspend pedestal boxes 44 and 44a from these hangers and place a top 45 on the frame, the same as in the embodiment already described.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my invention affords desk structures of simple construction and highly flexible in that the same frame subassemblies can be used with a variety of pedestal box designs and desk sizes. The frame supports the pedestal boxes cantilever fashion, thus taking advantage of the strength of the metal to afford maximum clear space under the desk.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it is apparent that other modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims:

I claim:

1. A desk comprising a pair of metal subassemblies, each of which includes a respective upright, a leg member fixed to the lower end of said upright and extending at approximately a right angle therefrom and a horizontal member med to the upper end of said upright and having front and back ends, said desk also comp-rising front and back spanners removably attached to the respective ends of the horizontal member of each subassembly and. connecting the subassemblies, said subassemblies and said spanners forming a rigid self-sustaining frame, hangers fixed to the upper portion of said frame at both the back and front thereof, spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended from said hangers. and solely supported cantilever fashion from said frame, said pedestal boxes being free of said uprights and spaced above said leg members to afford maximum clear space under the desk, and a top overlying said frame and said pedestal boxes.

2. A desk comprising a pair of metal su-bassemblies, each of which is C-shaped when viewed in end elevation and includes a respective upright, a leg member fixed to the lower end of said upright and extending at approximately a right angle therefrom, and a horizontal member having front and back ends and fixed at its back end to the upper end of said upright, said desk also comprising front and back spanner-s removably attached to the respec tive ends of the horizontal member of each subassembly and connecting the subassembl-ies, said subassemblies and said spanners forming a rigid self-sustaining frame, hangers fixed to the upper portion of said frame at both the back and front thereof, spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended from said hangers and solely sup ported cantilever fashion from said frame, said pedestal boxes being free of said uprights and spaced above said leg members to afford maximum clear space under the desk, and a top overlying said frame and said pedestal boxes.

3. A desk comprising a pair of metal subassembl-ies, each of which includes an upright, a dual leg member fixed to the lower end of said upright and extending at approximately a right angle therefrom, and a horizontal member fixed at its mid-portion to the upper end of said upright and having front and back ends, said desk also 15 comprising front and back spanners removably attached to the respective ends of the horizontal member of each subassembly and connecting the subassemblies, said subassemblies and said spanners forming a rigid self-sustaining frame, hangers fixed to said front and back spanners adjacent each end of each spanner, spaced-apart pedestal boxes removably suspended from said hangers and solely supported cantilever fashion from said frame, said pedestal boxes being free of said uprights and spaced above said leg members to afford maximum clear space under the desk, and a top overlying said frame and said pedestal boxes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 501,638 Anderson July 18, 1893 1,649,805 Brainard Nov. 22, 1927 3,042,936 Patterson July 10, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 579,684 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1946 273,667 Switzerland May 16, 1951 313,078 Switzerland Apr. 30, 1956

Claims

1. A DESK COMPRISING A PAIR OF METAL SUBASSEMBLIES, EACH OF WHICH INCLUDES A RESPECTIVE UPRIGHT, A LEG MEMBER FIXED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID UPRIGHT AND EXTENDING AT APPROXIMATELY A RIGHT ANGLE THEREFROM AND A HORIZONTAL MEMBER FIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID UPRIGHT AND HAVING FRONT AND BACK ENDS, SAID DESK ALSO COMPRISING FRONT AND BACK SPANNERS REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE HORIZONTAL MEMBER OF EACH SUBASSEMBLY AND CONNECTING THE SUBASSEMBLIES, SAID SUBASSEMBLIES AND SAID SPANNERS FORMING A RIGID SELF-SUSTAINING FRAME, HANGERS FIXED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FRAME AT BOTH THE BACK AND FRONT THEREOF, SPACED-APART PEDESTAL BOXES REMOVABLY SUSPENDED FROM SAID HANGERS AND SOLELY SUPPORTED CANTILEVER FASHION FROM SAID FRAME, SAID PEDESTAL BOXES BEING FREE OF SAID UPRIGHTS AND SPACED ABOVE SAID LEG MEMBERS TO AFFORD MAXIMUM CLEAR SPACE UNDER THE DESK, AND A TOP OVERLYING SAID FRAME AND SAID PEDESTAL BOXES.